The Burlington Police Department has been blessed with many fine officers during its 125-year existence, but it is doubtful that anyone on the force was ever more beloved and respected by the public (and more feared by evil-doers) than Currie E. Murray, who served the city for nearly two decades between 1919 and 1939.

Currie was the type of police officer whom people definitely did not want to cross. He was such a huge man that then-Times-News editor Staley Cook once said he was “big enough to subdivide into a village police force.” He was also very handy with his fists and not afraid to use them. In fact, he was so tough that he once pulled one of his own aching teeth with a pair of pliers. But despite his reputation for being hard on criminals, Currie had a pleasing personality and was liked by everyone who knew him. It was said that even those he arrested couldn’t stay mad at him for very long.

Currie was not only a brave and efficient policeman, but a genuine hero as well. Specifically, during the early morning hours of Jan. 5, 1930, when the large Smith-Morrow apartment building at the corner of South Worth and West Front streets caught fire, he went door-to-door in the flaming structure and alerted all of the residents to get out immediately. Although the building was destroyed, thanks to his efforts there were no fatalities.

That’s why it was unfortunate and strange that 79 years ago this month, Currie Murray went from hero to villain overnight and soon became one of the most despised men in the United States.

Why? Because he arrested Santa Claus!

The infamous incident occurred on Dec. 9, 1933, when Currie hauled Santa off to jail for passing out circulars downtown without a license. When the story appeared in the Times-News that afternoon, local children became incensed and accused him of “treason and everything else imaginable . . . some things unimaginable . . . (and a) lot of things unprintable.” One youngster wrote a letter to the editor in which she said, “(Officer Murray) is the big bad wolf and I don’t like him anymore.”

The whole matter might have blown over quickly if Mayor Earl Baynes Horner hadn’t been in Rainey Hospital recovering from injuries received in a traffic accident. (At the time, Burlington’s mayor was also the city’s chief judicial officer and tried those charged with violating city ordinances.) Since he was incapacitated and unable to hold court, Santa had to cool his heels in the local calaboose until the mayor returned. In the meantime, The Associated Press got wind of the story and it made national news, usually under the headline “Santa jailed” or “Santa arrested.”

Currie and Mayor Horner soon found themselves inundated with hate mail from children all over the country.

Page 2 of 2 - Two young girls from Muskogee, Okla. — Juliette Marie Stolpher, age 7, and Henrietta Stolpher, age 9 — were so upset when they heard of Santa’s arrest that they retained the services of their lawyer father (at 10 cents per day) to obtain his release. In the petition for a writ of habeas corpus sent to Mayor Horner, J. H. Stolpher stated in part: “I submit that such arrest is unlawful and contrary to the rights of millions of little girls and boys, who have the inherent right to happiness, and who are expecting the arrival of Santa Claus on time on Christmas Eve, and which said expectations are in danger of disappointment if you, the good people of Burlington, do detain said Santa Claus.”

Mayor Horner acted quickly to defuse the crisis. He sent a telegram to the girls on Dec. 14, notifying them that Santa had been freed and apologizing for not being able to act sooner.

Currie’s reputation also recovered quickly. On Dec. 12, the Times-News reported that he apprehended a man stealing coal out of the bin at his house. However, when the man explained that he was out of work and that his family was freezing, he not only let him go but told him to come back and help himself whenever he needed more.

Currie continued to faithfully serve the citizens of Burlington until his untimely death on Friday, June 2, 1939, at the age of 54.